The more modern technology using azimuthing pods or "azipods" avoids the need for rudders by placing the propellers on pods that stick down below the ship and rotate 360 degrees.

The propeller is placed at the leading edge of the pod and drives water over the body of the pod. The fixed-pitch propeller is rotated at controlled speeds, both forward and in reverse, by an electric motor in the pod. By rotating or azimuthing the entire pod toward the side, the ship can be steered through very tight turns. Rotating the pod such that the water is driven forward is the same as reversing the pitch of the propeller on a standard cruise ship except that fine control over steering direction is simple to achieve at the same time. To add even more possibilities, the propeller rotation can be reversed making a slightly less efficient drive system. Stern thrusters are also not needed since the steering pods, when facing sideways, make a very effective stern thruster.

For the pod ship, only the top portion of the Bridge differs from the Standard Cruise Ship Bridge. Pod thrust here is set to 25% forward. The pod angle is set for a slow LEFT turn. Remember, the pods are not the same as rudders. Here the pod propellers, indicated in the cartoon to the right, are pushing water from starboard to port. (During the simulation, the red dots move to remind you of the direction of water flow.) This pushes the stern to starboard thus steering the ship to port. To reverse or slow the ship you could either reverse the rotation of the propellers or change the pod angle by about 180 degrees.